Prospect Park Turkey Trot Race Recap

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After taking three weeks off from formal race training, I did not have any expectations for Thursday’s Prospect Park Turkey Trot.

Since I wasn’t treating this race as a goal race, my race preparations included four intense workouts Monday through Wednesday, an impromptu date night with Bo on Wednesday night and only 6 hours of sleep. Needless to say, I knew I wasn’t going into the race with fresh legs or a perfectly fueled body.  In fact, when I checked my race history on Athlinks, I laughed at the idea of trying to PR when I saw that my PR was a 9:05 or 45:27, which I ran back in the 2006 NYRR Holiday 5 Mile race.

I quickly sipped some coffee and ate some oatmeal and a banana before leaving the house at 8:35. Since the race started on the opposite side of Prospect Park from us, I opted for a $6 Uber versus a 40-minute subway ride. I arrived at Prospect Park by 8:45, leaving me 15 minutes to use the bathroom and walk to the starting line with the other 2,500 runners.

The weather was absolutely perfect – sunshine, blue sky and 45 degrees. I wore my Lululemon Speed Tights, New Balance Seamless Hoodie, a sports bra, and my New Balance NYC Vazee Pace.

Course map

The race, which while timed is more of a fun run, did not have official corrals. Instead, a mass of us gathered on Center Drive, near the start, flanked by leave clad trails. I warmed up to Justin Bieber, going through dynamic stretches while waiting in the mass of runners, before switching to Spotify Run for the actual race. I’ve enjoyed using Spotify Run during my last few runs as it keeps things interesting, by surprising me with songs that match my tempo. IMG_6467

Right at 9 AM the crowd started to move forward, signaling the start of the race.  The first mile was jam packed, forcing me to swerve a bit in order to get around the slower walkers and runners. As soon as I passed them I headed for the left side which I hugged for the remainder of the race.  The entire race felt as if it was a perfect race day – I was able to power up the hills, pass people up until the finish line, and was smiling ear to ear. This was exactly the race I needed to end the Fall race season on a high note. There were volunteers along the course cheering and giving out water, there was good signage, and the official race results were sent out via email within hours of the race!

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I didn’t wear a watch for the race but below you can see the splits from my Nike+. While it isn’t the most accurate in races, it at least allowed me to have a sense of my pace.  The slower pace during Mile 3 is due to a water stop, the steepest hill and a loose shoelace. I didn’t want to run out of energy and therefore made sure to push myself in the early miles but still leave some gas in the tank for the final miles.

Mile 1 8:35

Mile 2 8:35

Mile 3 8:50

Mile 4 8:15

Mile 5 8:02

Final: 8:31/mile pace – 42:36 (official vs Nike+ time of 8:25) —>A FOUR AND A HALF MINUTE PR!!

PPTC Turkey Trot Results

I love seeing the lower paces in mile 4 and 5, proof that I could have run an even faster race AND that I should have another PR in me for this weekend’s NYRR Jingle Jog which is a 4 mile race in Prospect Park.

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I was greeted by an adorable medal and water as soon as I crossed the finish line. A sweet spectator snapped a picture before I quickly headed back towards Carroll Gardens for a day of cooking.  I fully believe that this new PR was made possibly by a strong training base combined with a month of agressive cross training. There is no doubt that Bar Method, Fhitting Room and the 28 other ClassPass classes Bo and I have taken together have made me a stronger, leaner runner!

Now, let’s see if I can crush my four mile PR (35:51 or 8:57 pace) during this Saturday’s NYRR Jingle Jog! 

Your turn: Did you run a Turkey Trot this week? If so, how’d it go? 

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2015 Savannah Rock’n’Roll Half Marathon Recap – The Short Version

Going into Saturday’s half marathon, my goals were simple: leave everything on the course in hopes of breaking the elusive sub-2 hour half marathon and help my mom and aunt finish their first and second half marathons.

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I spent the week leading up to the Rock’n’Roll Savannah Half Marathon tapering like a seasoned pro. I slept an average of eight hours each night, I hydrated, I ate well, I practiced some gentle yoga, I put together a great pump-up playlist, and I prepared my mind for a great race.

If you want the abbreviated, short version of how the race went down, here is what you need to know as well as a few pictures:

  • The temperatures during the race hovered around 80 degrees with 99% humidity.
  • Due to conditions, I abandon my PR goal at mile 5.7 when my pace went from a solid 9:01 avg to 9:40 due to conditions.
  • My dad and brother were incredible cheerleaders, along with what felt like most of Savannah, and supported us five times along the course! 
  • My mom, aunt and I all finished the half marathon together while Bo pushed forward and ran the 13.1 miles.
  • The race organization and experience was wonderful and Rock’n’Roll continues to impress me though only half the course was in what I’d consider “gorgeous, downtown Savannah.”
  • Due to conditions, the marathon course was closed if you had not reached a certain point by 9:35 AM.
  • This was a smart decision as there were two deaths and hundreds of medical issues for both the half and full marathon. (News articles can be found here and here
  • The word that best describes this year’s running journey is FRIENDS. The majority of this year’s races have become more about spending time with friends (Yes, I consider my mom and aunt to be friends, just ask anyone who knows me well!) and helping others complete a race than toeing the starting line and pushing for a number on the clock. I do not regret this decision and am thankful for the experiences I’ve had. There is always another day for that number on the clock but how often can you run with friends in multiple countries, states and races?

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Now, if you want to read the longer version, come back later. Between work and life, this recap has taken longer to type than expected!

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2015 Nike Women’s Half Marathon San Francisco Race Recap

How can you not fall in love with a half marathon that includes gorgeous, sweeping views of Golden Gate Bridge and enough hills to challenge even the strongest of runners?

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As planned, Kristine and I made it our goal to PR in fun this weekend versus giving ourselves a time goal. We wanted the girls weekend in San Francisco to be enjoyable versus filled with race stress that comes along with a goal race. We took a Bar Method class together, we walked for miles exploring Marina and other neighborhoods, we stayed up watching our favorite shows and laughing, and we enjoyed a fun night on the town with her amazing boyfriend.

After last night’s unconventional, yet delicious homemade pre-race dinner of pork chops, roasted squash and Brussel sprouts, we said goodnight around 10:30 knowing that the alarm would be going off soon. This race starts at 6:30 which, while a dream for this morning gal, means that we had to be awake at 5 AM.

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After chugging some water and coffee we donned our race day gear and hopped in an Uber with our pre-race meal.

From her neighborhood it was an easy 15 minute ride down to Union Square, where the half marathon took over the entire area.

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Within minutes of arriving to the start, Nike proved that they know what they are doing when it comes to this half marathon. Everything was planned and organized flawlessly.  Even though over 25,000 women participated in this race, the bathroom and bag check lines were shorter than most races due to the strategic placement of them inside each individual corral.  There was even NUUN water stations within each corral! Well done Nike, well done!

At exactly 6:30 AM the first runners crossed the starting line, signaling the start of the race. It took 10 minutes or so until our corral, the 9:00-9:59 corral crossed the starting line. I will say that as soon as we started we came to a dead halt due to bottle necking. Not a good thing if you’re trying to PR the race but if you’re hear for the fun then it is no big deal.

nike womens half marathon course

The first 5k included lots of turns and hills as we headed west through The Tenderloin area of the city towards Golden Gate Park. While my hip flexors and glutes felt these early hills, including the second steepest one of the race, the three of us just kept talking as we powered up each of the hills.

San Francisco Nike Womens Half Marathon Course Elevation

We entered the gorgeous Golden Gate Park around mile 3.5 and proceeded to weave through it for the next four miles. The park was a welcome change from the first few miles. There was lush greenery, gorgeous buildings, waterfalls and beautiful views everywhere. The course plateaud during these miles, allowing us to rest our legs a bit.

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There were three aid stations in the park which included water, NUUN, a medical tent and bathrooms. We took advantage of the bathrooms early in the race, around mile 4.5, in order to ensure we could enjoy the rest of the race.  It amazes me how the temperature and weather vacillates in San Francisco depending where you are. While the start was cool, the miles in the park were warmer and humid due to the initial morning fog, which typically holds in the humidity.IMG_5444

As we exited the park, I laughed knowing that while we’d passed the halfway point, the hardest part of the course was waiting for us at mile 10.  Sun, hills and thicker crowds greeted us as we navigated the neighborhood streets en route to The Presidio.

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I don’t know if I was fully prepared for the beauty we’d encounter during these miles. While the climb from 9.5 to 10.5 was nothing short of soul crushing, the views were well worth the effort. Unlike last year, Karl the Fog lifted in time for our climb which meant we could see the bridge, bay, and rocky cliffs perfectly.

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Since we were running the race for fun, we took full advantage of the scenic vistas, posing for fun photos and taking pictures of fellow runners. The energy that the cheer stations provided during this climb was on par with the New York City Marathon. Special thanks to the November Project, Team in Training and Nike for the signs, cheers and motivation.

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What goes up must come down and as soon as we crested the climb we turned the corner for a fast, steep downhill towards the coast line. As soon as we finished the downhill dash towards the coast line, we entered a wide path along the coast line which included a chocolate station and final water station as well as a few bands and Asian dancers.

I didn’t enjoy these final miles as much as I expected due to a side stitch and the urge to finish. Since we ran at a conversational pace the entire time, we still had two miles left when my watch beeped 2 hours. Even though the path was along the water, nothing could compare to the incredible views of miles 9.5-11.5.

As soon as we saw the finish line we gave it a final kick over the finish line, literally running into Emily.

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Our final time was 2:27, more than 25 minutes slower than last week’s half marathon due to a fun, conversation pace and multiple picture stops. It’s amazing to see how far I’ve come as this was a “difficult, hard to talk pace” during my early years of running half marathons!

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After grabbing chocolate milk and filled water bottles, we made a bee line for the highly anticipated medals, aka Tiffany necklaces.

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We were a bit disappointed to see that they replaced the fire fighters with volunteers this year. In years past, tuxedo clad fire fighters presented each winner with her teal box.

It’s been a while since I ran a half marathon for fun and I would happily do it more often. For most of the miles, it felt more like a casual long run with a  good friend than a half marathon.

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Too bad all long runs didn’t include Tiffany finisher necklaces, race support in the form of cheering and NUUN, and great company.

While the $200 price tag of the Nike Women San Francisco Half Marathon can provide some with sticker shock, I would highly recommend adding it to your race list. It is a wonderfully executed half marathon in a gorgeous city. In addition, the Nike tank, re-usable bag filled with race swag and Tiffany necklace are included in that price.

Final stats:

Nike results

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